The present invention relates to a dispensing member for dispensing a fluid, which dispensing member is designed to be mounted on the neck of a container. In general, this type of dispensing member comprises a body defining a chamber inside which a piston is mounted to slide. In addition, a fixing member is often provided for fixing the dispensing member to the neck of the container. To convey the fluid from the chamber to a dispensing orifice, a delivery channel is often provided. A feature of the dispensing member of the present invention is that the dispensing member is stationary.
Document WO 93/03857 describes a fluid-dispensing member having a stationary dispensing orifice. That prior art dispensing member comprises a body in which a cylindrical piece is engaged that co-operates with a piston to define the pump chamber. In other words, the piston, as provided with a pusher on its top, is mounted to slide inside said cylindrical piece which is received inside the body of the dispensing member. At its bottom end, the cylindrical piece defines an outlet valve seat. The body is further provided with a fixing member in the form of a snap-fastening ring designed to co-operates with the outside of the neck of a container. To hold that dispensing member on the neck, a capping piece is provided that defines an end-piece at the end of which a stationary dispensing orifice is situated. More precisely, the capping piece is screwed onto the body, thereby holding the fixing member on the body. To connect the chamber to the dispensing orifice, a delivery channel is provided that extends between the cylindrical piece and the body. The delivery channel extends from the bottom end of the cylindrical piece to its top end in vertical manner when the dispensing member is upright. To this end, a groove is formed in the inside wall of the body, and said groove is isolated in leaktight manner by the cylindrical piece mounted inside the body.
It should also be noted that that dispensing member is made up of four parts (excluding the piston), namely a body, a cylindrical piece, a fixing member, and a capping piece.
Document FR 2 714 027 discloses a manually-operated pump comprising an internal cylinder in which a piston is slidably mounted and a body in which the cylinder is received. The outside diameter of the cylinder is considerably smaller than the inside diameter of the body, so that a space is defined between the cylinder and the body. The space has a cross-section that is crescent-shaped because the cylinder is positioned in off-center manner in the body. The crescent-shaped space defines a considerable volume which is dead volume. In addition, the body is extended upwards to form a fixing ring for fixing to the outside of the neck of a container. It can be said that the body of that pump is made up of two distinct portions, namely a skirt receiving the cylinder and a ring coming around a neck, even though the skirt and the ring are connected together to form a one-piece unit. It should be noted that, by fixing onto the outside of the neck, the ring also increases the working diameter of the pump.
An object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a dispensing member that has as small a number of component parts as possible, while defining a delivery channel that is off-center, whose dead volume is small, and that leads to a stationary dispensing orifice.
To this end, the present invention provides a fluid-dispensing member designed to be mounted on the neck of a container, said dispensing member comprising:
a body defining a chamber that slidably receives a piston;
a fixing member designed to co-operate with the neck, said fixing member extending around the body; and
a delivery channel connecting the chamber to a stationary dispensing orifice, said delivery channel being formed between the body and the fixing member;
wherein the fixing member is suitable for cooperating with an inside wall of the neck so as to fix the dispensing member in the neck.
The fixing member thus serves both to form the delivery channel and to fix the dispensing member in the neck.
Advantageously, the fixing member is provided with snap-fastening means serving to co-operate with at least one notch formed in the inside wall of the neck.
In an embodiment, the fixing member is provided with a substantially cylindrical skirt internally co-operating with the body to define the delivery channel, and externally defining snap-fastening means for snap-fastening in the neck. The skirt thus also performs two functions by itself.
Advantageously, said delivery channel forms a groove in the outside wall of the body, said fixing member being provided with a skirt that is in contact with the body. The skirt is in tight-fitting contact with the body so that the groove provided in the outside wall of the body is isolated over its entire length. Preferably, the channel extends substantially over the entire height of the body.
In a practical embodiment, the body is engaged to slide snugly in leaktight manner in the skirt of the fixing member.
Advantageously, the snap-fastening means comprise at least one projection serving to snap-fasten into the notch in the neck.
The fixing member, which is then almost invisible, then performs two functions, namely the function of isolating the groove by means of its inside wall, and the function of fixing by snap-fastening by means of its outside wall. The fixing member can then basically be in the form of a skirt encasing the body of the dispensing member.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the delivery channel opens out in the vicinity of the stationary dispensing orifice. The path over which the fluid flows is thus reduced to as short as possible, thereby reducing head loss and easing dispenser operation.
In an embodiment, the dispensing orifice is formed in the fixing member or in a nozzle received in a recess formed in the fixing member.